An African American civil rights leader has quit over his since-reversed plan to honour the disgraced Los Angeles Clippers owner.

Leon Jenkins, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), had intended to give Donald Sterling a lifetime achievement award later this month.

But Mr Jenkins withdrew that offer this week after a recording surfaced of Sterling making racially charged comments about black men.

Image:Sterling's remarks have prompted national outrage

In his resignation letter, Mr Jenkins wrote: "In order to separate the Los Angeles NAACP and the NAACP from the negative exposure I have caused the NAACP, I respectfully resign my position."

The NAACP said it was "developing guidelines for its branches to help them in their award selection process".

Video:Magic Johnson Comments On Sterling

The scandal follows the posting of a 10-minute recording on website TMZ in which Sterling tells then-girlfriend V Stiviano, 31, not to post online photographs of herself with black people, including basketball legend Magic Johnson.

The National Basketball Association on Thursday moved to oust Sterling as owner of the Clippers, saying a panel of fellow team owners had agreed unanimously to remove him "as expeditiously as possible".

League commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday declared Sterling banned from the NBA for life, and imposed the maximum fine of $2.5m (£1.5m).

Video:Sterling Pressured To Sell Clippers

Sterling has not said whether he would be prepared to give up ownership of the franchise. He bought the Clippers in 1981 for $13m and it is now estimated to be worth as much as $1bn.